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Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Human Trafficking is
rapidly becoming one of the biggest crimes around the world. Though the media
has highlighted certain countries where it is extremely prevalent, there are
also some countries which you may not know are also facing a human trafficking
problem. Such cases of human trafficking have emerged right here in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia. It was reported that in the 2012 alone around 72 cases of
human trafficking were discovered in Saudi Arabia alone. This news was
published in a report by the Ministry of Justice in Saudi Arabia. This only
amounts to about 0.11 percent of the total criminal cases in Saudi Arabia on
which the Criminal and General courts have given their rulings. However, Saudi
Police has taken very strict action against these cases and now they have been
reduced significantly.

In the year 2012 the Saudi
Courts gave their ruling on around 65,669 cases. Around 71 percent or 46,751
cases were filed which involved one or many Saudi Nationals, while around 29 percent
or 18,918 cases were those which involved non Saudi citizens. In accordance to
the annual statistical report, it was stated that the city of Riyadh had the
highest recorded number of human trafficking cases which amounted to a total of
48 cases, on which the courts gave their ruling. Out of these cases found in
Riyadh around 35 cases were those which involved one or more Saudi citizens
while around 13 cases were those cases which involved non Saudi citizens.

In the Holy city of Makkah
an astonishing 21 cases of Human Trafficking were reported and filed and out of
these 2 cases were those which involved Saudi Nationals. Additionally two rulings were issued in cases
found in the Holy city of Madinah while only one case of human trafficking was
registered against a Saudi National in the Northern Borders Province region.

The report on the human
trafficking laid great stress on the fact that the committee which has been
appointed the human trafficking issues should also follow up closely with all
of the victims and the conditions that they might be in. it was also
recommended that the committee should also coordinate with other authorities to
deport or rather depart the victims back to their home countries or whatever
country their place of residence is. The committee has also recommended the
retaining of the victims in Saudi Arabia after their status has been legalized.

Amongst the most important
features of this system being implemented against these human trafficking
crimes is the complete ban on trafficking of human beings in any form and under
any disguise. The new system has also banned the use of any threat, fraud, and
force or even kidnapping. The new system has also prohibited anyone from
exploiting their job or influence to facilitate the necessary operations of the
Human Trafficking crimes or any other forms of sexual abuse or enslavement. Anyone who has been found
guilty of the human trafficking crimes will have to face upwards of 15 years in
prison time or a monetary fine of SAR 1 million or even both.